I woke at 7 AM with a text from Delta saying my flight had been changed. Before I could even focus my eyes on the message I marveled at how efficient the airlines had become, or had they? After my sleepiness ebbed thanks to a cup of steaming coffee, I realized my now four hour flight had turned into a fourteen hour ordeal. Between outsourcing and robotic algorithms I started to wonder if humans were even necessary anymore.

We all enjoy the benefits of having Siri as our personal assistant or Pandora picking our favorite songs. We have self-checkout kiosks and the next great wave of technology will include self-driving cars and advances in artificial intelligence. So where is the human element to this information age? Machines outperforming humans is a tale as old as the industrial revolution. However, the one thing computers don’t have is a brain or common sense.

That’s where Linda comes in. When I realized I would be sitting in New York for seven hours on a layover and getting into Rochester at midnight instead of 4:30 PM, I picked up the phone and called the airlines. Hoping to get a human, I was grateful to hear “Thanks for calling Delta, this is Linda, how may I assist you today Ms. Cross.” I had already done some research and found three other options for flights getting in within 15-30 minutes of my original time. I offered up the information and flight numbers and within a few minutes I was rebooked and all set to go with little to no inconvenience. I asked Linda why they re-routed me with a seven hour layover and she told me that algorithms pick the options and their automated system rebooks customers and notify them. What the computer didn’t know is that my elderly parents would be unable to drive to the airport at midnight to pick me up, nor was I willing to sit around all day.

This is where humans are essential, algorithms use statistical patterns in data while computers learn to improve the efficiency of many different work processes such as customer care, flight rebooking’s or toll collection on the highways for example. But do we want them babysitting our kids, making life decisions or assessing our medical condition? As this type of machine learning and technology continues to advance many employees will struggle to keep their jobs. While I understand efficiencies and bringing more dollars to the bottom line we should all be cautious that we don’t let technology remove our humanity all together.

Jodi Cross is a marketing strategist, speaker and writer and can be reached at jcross@crossnm.com.

What Happened to Our Quiet Time?

By: Jodi Cross

Computers, Smart Phones, PDA’s and tablets were all designed to make our life easier, and more entertaining, but frankly, sometimes a break from all the noise and instant access is quite refreshing. Henry David Thoreau once said, “He who enjoys true leisure has time to improve his soul’s estate.” Lately, my soul has been dragging a bit and sometimes I feel like I have been reduced to a “human doing”, instead of a human being.

Recently, I went on a trip and decided not to bring my “electronic gear”. When I got on the plane I felt liberated, like I didn’t actually have to do work. After arriving at my destination, my phone reception was so bad that it was in and out of service. Instead of being upset I was surprisingly ambivalent. One day, I actually went to a meeting and accidentally left my phone behind at the hotel. At first a feeling of being out of control came over me, what would I miss, what emergency would happen that I would not be aware of? The day ended up being quite relaxing and the world seemed to continue on without my input 24/7.

That evening I went for a walk, without a music device in my ear. On my walk birds were chirping , a hedgehog was rustling in the bush and flowers were growing wild by the road. All the sounds of nature had become muffled by the blaring, beeping and pinging in my head and suddenly they came alive again.

Think about the last time you had quiet time, where you were just still, sat and pondered. The devices that were designed to make us more connected and efficient have become intrusions, robbing us of small peaceful joys like sitting on the porch swing, listening to the leaves rustle, or taking a walk in nature.

Today life has us connected instantaneously, but ask yourself, is all this connectivity robbing your soul?

Testimonials

Read how CNMI improved other businesses:

"Jodi and I have been serving on the The Commonwealth Institute Board for many years. As the Executive Director of TCI, she has demonstrated what "execution" is all about and led others to keep our vision alive. Each and every initiative we partnered with touched and inspired many women owned businesses and executives to move their businesses forward; knowing that they have our organization behind them."

"From the moment we interviewed Jodi we knew she would be a great asset to our team of consultants. She drove results for our clients, built strong relationships internally with co-workers and externally with clients and partners. She is strategic, able to influence stakeholders and can manage highly complex and cross-functional programs."

“I've not only reported to Jodi, but I've worked side-by-side on projects over the course of ten years. I can describe Jodi in two words: Creative and resourceful! As a marketer, she truly enjoys thinking out-of-the-box without going over-budget. She's tough yet logical; smart and funny. We’ve worked together at Doral Golf Resort & Spa and Sonesta Hotels, including Trump International. She’s the kind of person you want on your team, because she’s able to take a project from beginning to end with excellent results. She has strong work ethic and really looks out for your best interest.”

"For over 10 years Jodi worked on multiple branding and marketing initiatives for Sonesta. Jodi is highly respected in the industry as a strategic thinker and results oriented brand leader. She has a unique skill set that combines a creative approach to problem solving along with an ability to articulate a clear strategic vision. Jodi understands the importance of integrating marketing from both a corporate prospective and on a property level. She was instrumental in re-branding Sonesta, launching our first loyalty program- Travel Pass and creating Food is Art a brand-wide initiative that took Sonesta to a new level. Her work ethic and focus helped move Sonesta forward."